Enriqueta Somarriba
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey celebrates the power of classical performance with the annual Classical Season Celebration on Thursday, October 17, 2024. This year's event will take place in STNJ's intimate Studio space and, as a first for State Theatre, will be a performance entirely by candlelight. Acclaimed pianist Enriqueta Somarriba will perform a 45-minute program of classical favorites woven together with beloved pieces by Spanish composers.
“We are very happy to present this important annual event in a new and exciting way this year,” says Sarah Chaplin, State Theatre New Jersey President & CEO. “This fundraiser is essential to us as a nonprofit presenting theater, as it helps us receive vital support from our community to sustain our classical performances and arts education initiatives throughout the year.”
Praised for her “aplomb” and “natural, individual interpretation,” Enriqueta Somarriba enchants audiences from Carnegie Hall to Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional. Her dynamic performances with the Orquesta Andrés Segovia and Virtuosi Brunensis Orchestra have been featured on Spanish National Radio and 98.7 WFMT. Highlights include her contribution to Netflix’s Dancing on Glass, which earned a 2023 Spanish Film Academy Award nomination, and recordings with MSR Classics. As a sought-after collaborative pianist, she partners with members of the Metropolitan Opera and Philadelphia Orchestras. An award-winner of national and international competitions and prestigious grant awards, Somarriba continues to impress with her exceptional talent and captivating artistry.
The Classical Season Celebration, which takes place from 6:00pm-8:30pm, opens with a cocktail reception followed by an intimate candlelit concert—bringing music lovers together for a unique experience to celebrate over 35 years of State Theatre New Jersey's diverse and robust classical programming.
The Classical Season Celebration supports the continued success of State Theatre's year-round classical and educational programming—including their Symphony Scholars program with the New Brunswick Public School District, Edison High School, and SpeakMusic Conservatory—which are key elements of their work to provide access to live arts experiences for all in the community. Classical Season tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at STNJ.org/CSC or call 732-247-7200, ext. 512 for more information.
After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online.
Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a nonprofit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.
State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com.
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